Name: Polenta Gratin with Mushroom Bolognese
Yield: Makes 4 servings
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons peanut oil; 1 onion, peeled and diced; 1 carrot, peeled and diced; 1 stalk celery, peeled and diced; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced; 8 to 12 ounces mixed wild and cultivated mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, and diced; 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves; 1 tomato, seeded and diced; 1 cup brown chicken stock or canned reduced-sodium chicken broth; Kosher salt; 1 cup polenta (coarse yellow cornmeal); 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil; 4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Tom Colicchio

My grandmother used to make a polenta gratin. She layered it with a simple tomato sauce, and we'd have it as a side dish. I make it now with a mushroom Bolognese for a heartier dish that can be the center of the meal.